Surging Storms
by StormOnTheHorizon
Summary: Rose and the Doctor were convinced that the events at the game station were in their past. While subtle clues hint otherwise, they are too wrapped up in a thrilling adventure with two brothers who keep appearing at different points in their timeline. Who are the Winchesters, and how do they know so much about the Doctor and Rose? Ten/Rose *On hiatus as I work on other works*
1. chapter 1

_There was so much to see. All of time and space, at her fingertips. She could see war and peace and love and bloodshed and everything that ever is or was. And she could control it. She could do anything. But there was only one thing she had in mind. With eyes blazing like suns, golden light pouring from her body, Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, and looked into the face of her best friend and the man she cared about more than anything in the world. His eyes narrowed, his face twisting into that of pain. He knew what was going to happen. She was going to burn._

 _And suddenly, everything was burning. Everything she'd ever known or cared about, turning to ashes. She saw Mickey, her Mum, even her childhood friends Shareen and Keisha. Then she saw Jack, a pile of dust, The Doctor consumed by golden light. Except this time… he didn't regenerate, his last words slipping scornfully from his lips._

 _"This is your fault, Rose." He sneered in his northern accent. His words trailed off into screams of agony, and he vanished into a cloud of dust. A pile of golden sand on the ground, like Jack. Rose fell to her knees, scooping up the remains with a choking sob. The particles of dust trickled through her fingers, like an hourglass. You don't have much time left, something hissed at her._

With a gasp, Rose awoke, adrenaline surging through her body and startling her into consciousness. Glancing around the room with rapid breaths, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to wipe the fresh memories of her dream from her mind. Her body was hot, and a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. Terror seized her, and she took shallow breaths, trying to fill her aching lungs. Before she could stop herself, she let out a sob, digging her fingers into the cool sheets of her bed. Her cries gained volume as flashbacks of her dream reverberated through her head. The same one, every night for three weeks, since… since _Bad Wolf._

A delicate, soothing hum echoed through her mind. Rose forced a smile, recognizing the gentle brush of the TARDIS's conscious against her mind. Her breath caught again, visions of The Doctor's accusation ripping a hole in her chest.

She wanted to find him- find the Doctor and wrap him in a tight embrace. To have him tell her that everything would be okay as she pressed her face into his chest. To hear his gruff northern accent morph into a compassionate voice just to soothe her. But Rose couldn't. Ever since that night, he had changed. He was tall now, and skinny, and he wore a pinstriped suit. Instead of brooding, he was manic and grinned a lot. Everything felt surreal, like some bizarre dream that kept shifting and changing. The Doctor was now like a ball of striped energy with spiky hair. A man with a horrible past, hidden under a wide smile. He was handsome, with dark eyes, a direct contrast to the cool blue ones she had become accustomed to. Rose didn't really know him anymore. She still wanted to travel with him, definitely, but it would take some getting used to.

The blonde haired young woman gripped the edge of her sheets, prepared to pull them back over her body. She couldn't. With a sigh, she kicked the covers off and sat up in bed.

The trickle of water alerted her that the TARDIS had turned on her shower. _Good gir_ l, Rose thought, swallowing the last of her cries. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, hoping her face wouldn't be red or her eyes swollen when she saw the Doctor.

The blonde stumbled into the bathroom, letting her clothes drop into a heap onto the tile floor. Rose reached out with a finger and tested the temperature of the water. Perfect, like always. The TARDIS knew exactly what she liked. _Oh, the benefits of having a telepathic ship_. She stepped in, letting the beads of warm water wash away the bad dreams. It worked partly, but she she nearly broke down again.

Rose worked the soap into her hair with her fingers, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. She drew back with a gasp as she saw a perfectly clear image of her nightmare again. The Doctor's eyes filled with hate, his lips curled up in a snarl. That was part that hurt the worst. Not that he never regenerated, but Rose would rather die than have the Doctor hate her. He mattered to her more than anything in the world, even if their relationship was a bit tense right now. She cared for him more than she ever thought possible. She'd been willing to die for him, but he'd died for her instead. Guilt surged through her body and she let out a choking, strangled cry.

She just stared at the wall of the shower, letting the water run down her back. After everything that had happened, she knew it was her fault. She was Bad Wolf. She'd killed her first Doctor, and now she was running around with this unfamiliar man. He was just so different. He was more tactile too, constantly grabbing her hand and grinning like a loon. Admittedly, she really liked the new him. Rose felt a stab of guilt upon thinking that. She felt like she was betraying her old Doctor, the one she had first fallen in love with.

A disagreeable hum tapped at her mind and a flash of emotion crossed over her. Rose realized that the TARDIS was trying to tell her something. He may look and act a little different, the ship was trying to convey, but he was the same man at heart. _Her Doctor._ And the TARDIS was right. He was still a bit rude, but he was a good man that tried to help everyone. That wasn't so different, was it?

She felt a tiny bit of her sadness ebb away. Rose scrubbed roughly at her face, and finished cleaning herself. She wanted to look completely normal when she stepped out of the shower. She dried herself quickly, searching for her stash of makeup. Applying a light coat, she added a touch of mascara, but not too much to seem overdone. Once satisfied, she stored away her bag of supplies and got dressed.

Waiting for her in the console room, was the Doctor. The pinstriped man looked up from his book with a grin.

"I see the bear has finally awoken from hibernation," he teased, shutting his book and setting it aside. He leaned against the console, his smile faltering lightly. "Rose…"

"Yes?" Rose asked, putting on a wide smile. The Doctor's lips had tightened to form a straight line, and he frowned. Her smile was too wide, too forced. He could tell something was wrong.

"I… I heard you in the shower." He admitted, looking a bit ashamed. "Are you okay?"

"You were listening to me _shower_?" Rose burst out with embarrassment and a touch of anger.

"No!" The Doctor replied quickly. "Well, yes, but it's not like _that_. The TARDIS picked up telepathic signs of distress and I went to go see if you were okay…"

Rose relaxed slightly, but she didn't meet his eyes. "'M fine Doctor, really." She put up the facade again, twisting her features into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Don't worry about me."

 _Like that's possible,_ The Doctor thought, biting back a sigh. _Couldn't she see he just wanted to help?_ He opened his arms, pulling her tightly against his chest. Rose closed her eyes, burying her face into his body. It felt a lot better than she thought it would. She had been worried about getting to know the new Doctor, but she had also been longing for this. The steady double beating of his hearts against her chest was comforting, and she realized she would have trouble letting go. The hug actually had quite a therapeutic effect.

The Timelord pulled away, watching her facade crumble. Lips trembling slightly, Rose choked back another sob.

"Rose, what's wrong?" The pinstriped man asked her, resting his arms on her shoulders. She looked into his warm brown eyes, a stark difference from his previously cool blue ones, and wiped a tear that had escaped the corner of her own.

"'M tired Doctor." She admitted, leaning back into him. He wrapped his arms around her again, in a comforting embrace, her warmth seeping into his cooler body. The crook of her chin dug into his shoulder, and he looked down at his best friend with a worried pout.

"Tired?" The Doctor repeated, the words hanging in the hair. He mentally slapped himself. _How could he be so blind? Of course she was tired._ With all that had happened lately, it was a miracle she was still on her feet. The TARDIS sent him an annoyed prod through his mind, chastising him for his ignorance and lack of observation.

Rose loosened her firm grip on the skinny alien, leaning back to peer into his chocolate eyes. "Recurring nightmares," she admitted softly. The Doctor's smile vanished, and he looked at her with great concern. He was all too familiar with recurring nightmares. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Gallifrey burning. The children weeping and the mothers crying. But also daleks turning to dust. _You had to. He reminded himself for the thousandth time. There was no other choice. The entire universe was at stake._ He needed to quit feeling sorry for himself and help Rose. She needed him right now.

"Oh." The Doctor managed to say, trying to keep the guilt from creeping into his voice.

"'S nothing really, should go away soon." Rose lied, looking away from him. The Doctor had known Rose for over a year now. Avoiding eye contact was one of the Tyler Tells, as he liked to call it. It either meant she was really upset or lying… or both. This time, he suspected it was both.

"How long?" He croaked out, his voice barely heard.

"Three weeks." Rose shrugged. The Doctor's frown increased in size.

"Since-"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

Despite the severity of the situation, Rose couldn't help but be a touch amused. She'd never seen this Doctor so at a loss for words. This new him had an unstoppable gob.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The Doctor asked quietly. Rose's amusement vanished.

She avoided his gaze. _Was that… betrayal in his eyes?_ She thought with concern. Frankly, she didn't know. Though similar, this new Doctor had different ways to convey his mood. Uncertainty crept into her heart as he was reminded just how different her first Doctor was from him.

"I didn't want to bother you."

" _Oh, Rose,_ " the Doctor sighed, taking her hand into his. Their fingers intertwined so naturally that Rose couldn't help but give a small genuine smile. "Don't worry about bothering me. You're my friend. You can tell me _anything_." What he wanted to say was, _Rose Tyler, you are the most important thing in the universe to me, the light keeping the shadows at bay. My hearts beat for you._ As much as he really, really wanted to, he couldn't say those words.

"'M'kay. I'll keep that in mind." She said giving him another quick hug. "Thank you."

"Always." He promised. "If there's anything I can do to help, just tell me."

That night, Rose awoke screaming. Her dreams were getting progressively worse and worse. The young woman took in a few sharp, shallow breaths, trying to calm herself down. The screams turned into sobs, and she buried her face into her pillow, her tears soaking into the cloth.

"Rose?"

Rose turned around, startled, to see the skinny form of the Doctor in the doorway. She couldn't see his expression in the darkness, but she knew he was concerned.

"Yes?" she sniffed, loosening her white knuckled grip on the sheets. Even in the darkness, the Doctor could see how pale she was.

Her bed creaked as he sat down softly beside her. As soon as he was within reach, she wrapped her arms around his body and cried into his shoulder.

"How many hours of sleep have you been getting per night?" He asked, his voice hardly a whisper.

Rose's voice was unsteady and cracked a little, "Two, maybe three."

The Doctor's eyes softened. That was nowhere near enough. No wonder she'd been stumbling around like a zombie lately. That might be enough sleep for a _Timelord_ , but definitely not for a human! Rose broke into another fit of tears.

"I'm here, Rose." He soothed quietly, stroking her blonde hair. Her body was wracked with another sob before slowly down. "I've got you."

Rose was surprised when he pressed a kiss against her forehead. His touch was calming, and she immediately felt the adrenaline and distress ebb away. She could get used to his more tactile behavior. _What did I do to deserve him?_ She asked herself, smiling into his chest. Maybe this new Doctor wasn't so bad after all.

Once she was calm, the Doctor slowly rose from his seated position on the bed. Quick as a flash, Rose's hand darted out to grab his, and she pulled him back to her.

"Please don't go." She begged silently. The Doctor didn't need much convincing. He crawled on top of the covers, pulling her into a tight hug, and she closed her eyes again. The Timelord smiled warmly as her breath slowed and she drifted into sleep. Cuddling her in his arms, he allowed himself to close to his eyes as well.

Four and a half hours later, The Doctor awoke, still cradling his Rose in his arms. She was sound asleep and looked so peaceful. He didn't dare move, lest he wake her from her first calm sleep in weeks. Affection surged through him, and he brushed a lock of blond hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

She stirred slightly, and her eyes blinked open. Grinning he shut her eyes again, humming contently. Her grip tightened around him. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she nearly fell from the Doctor's embrace as she realized what they were doing.

"Doctor?" She choked out. Had he been with her this entire time? She wondered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Hmm?" He asked, a lopsided grin present on his face. "How did you sleep?"

"Wonderful." She admitted. "No nightmares."

"That's good." The Timelord released his hold on the blonde woman and rose from the bed. He didn't often stay in once place for so long. Sleep wasn't as necessary to his kind as it was to a human. He reddened slightly. "I... I should go."

"Okay."

"Better get dressed," The man said from the doorway. He was still wearing his pinstriped suit, Rose realized. "We're going on an adventure today, now that you have the energy."

Rose didn't need to be told twice. She hopped into action.

Twenty minutes later, the Doctor leaned unceremoniously over the console of the TARDIS. He flicked a few switches, and made a small adjustment to the zigzag plotter. His hands darted out, slapping various buttons and twisting different knobs. Putting in the coordinates, he readied himself. He was preparing for Rose to get back. It had been exactly 21 minutes and 34 seconds since they had left her room.

The Doctor's lips twitched into a smile. There was something about human females. They always took _ages_ to prepare for anything. His many companions had proved this time and again.

Once there was nothing left for him to tinker with, the Timelord resorted to picking up the book he had discarded the previous day. It was advanced physics, written in circular Gallifreyan- a textbook from his time at the academy.

It was then he noticed the beautiful blonde woman standing in the doorway. He looked up with a massive grin, earning a smile from Rose.

He loved watching her smile. He needed to repair their relationship so she would smile again. Ever since he'd regenerated, he had missed seeing her smile. But it would take some time.

Rose loved watching him smile too. Despite not knowing this incarnation of him long, she knew she already loved that wide, manic grin of his. It warmed her heart, no matter how much she tried to resist it. And resist it, she tried. She'd been trying to ever since she met him in all his big ears and leather glory. But even being in his general vicinity was enough to simultaneously calm her and exhilarate her at the same time.

Rose was wearing a grey hoodie and jeans, but the Doctor still thought she looked gorgeous. _Wait, what? What was he thinking?_ He'd noticed stray thoughts like that for the past few months. What was wrong with him? Trying to ignore the flutter in his stomach upon seeing her, the Doctor bowed his head in greeting, and began his dance around the console.

"So where are we going?" She asked him, scooting up next to him, before he shot off to yank another lever.

"Further than we've ever gone before." He answered with a grin. And the TARDIS shot off through the time vortex.


	2. Ch 2

**This chapter takes place immediately after the Tooth and Claw episode.**

 **Be warned, this is a fairly fluffy chapter, as this is a Rose/Ten centered fic.**

 **Thank you to anyone reading, it really means a lot to me! I know I'm not the best author by any means. Usually I don't post my work but I thought I'd give it a go and see if I got any positive feedback. I'm not very good at planning stories or keeping it consistent, so if you spot any errors feel free to tell me, just make sure any criticism is constructive. Also, there's bound to be errors everywhere since I have no one reviewing my work, and it's all typed on my phone (and we all know what autocorrect can be like.)**

 **Thank you all, and enjoy!**

The Doctor burst through the doors of the TARDIS, his face plastered with a wide grin. He stumbled towards the console, struggling not to laugh. Seconds later, a blonde came tumbling after him. Her face, however, did not mirror his. Rose's brow was furrowed and her jaw was set in concern.

The end of their werewolf conversation on the way to the TARDIS had made room for the thoughts she had tried to push away.

 _"Look. Inside your eyes. You've seen it too." The werewolf said quickly, leaning forward until the chains restrained any further movement._

 _Rose looked back at the creature with confusion, her throat tightening, dreading the response. "Seen what?"_

 _"The Wolf. There is something of the Wolf about you." It replied without skipping a beat. It's cold, dark eyes seemed to rip into Rose's heart. She nearly flinched, but made a conscious effort to keep her expression unchanging. The Wolf? That couldn't be... right? There was no way that… that Bad Wolf was still chasing her around the universe. Rose's stomach lurched with anxiety. Would she ever be able to leave Bad Wolf in the past? It was enough that it haunted her dreams, but now would it plague her waking hours once again?_

 _"I don't know what you mean." The blonde said, her voice getting softer with each word. But she did. She knew exactly what it meant, even before it delivered the next chilling words,_

 _"You burnt like the sun, but all I require is the moon."_

"Rose?" A voice asked quietly, snapping her out of her most unpleasant thoughts. She looked around the TARDIS interior, unnerved, trying to look at anything else. She didn't want to tell him about her nightmares again. He'd worry, and that was the last thing she wanted for him. He always had enough on his mind as it was.

"Yeah?" She said a bit weakly, her eyes meeting the chocolate brown eyes of the Doctor.

"You looked a little… distant." The Doctor said, moving up closer to her. In most situations, she would love this closeness, but this was really bad timing. She stepped back, turning away from him. Attempting an air of nonchalance, she circled the TARDIS console.

"Oh… Yeah..." She shrugged, making sure her face was facing the opposite direction. When she glanced back at him, she wore a forced smile. The Doctor looked the opposite of convinced.

"Is something on your mind, Rose?" The Timelord asked gently. Rose bit her lip, suddenly unable to speak. As of the past few months, he'd been a lot more observant of her feelings, frequently noticing when she was down or feeling sad. Hearing him ask if she was alright though, it gave her a tingly, giddy feeling in her chest. It meant that he cared about her. Really, truly cared. That in itself created a constant conflict within herself. When she'd first met him, with his gruff attitude, northern accent, and leather jacket, he had been much more... reserved. Rose noticed he was being more open with her lately, and while that made her happy, Rose had begun to realize just how broken he really felt. And she didn't want to contribute to that by telling him her undoubtedly insignificant problems. Either he'd think she was pathetic or it would bring down his mood as well.

And she hated seeing him sad and brooding, as if he had just come back fresh from the Time War. _No_ , she decided after a long internal debate. She probably shouldn't tell him.

"No." She lied quietly, but when she looked up, the Doctor's jaw was set and his lips formed a firm line. He could tell she was lying. She hated lying to him. He trusted her. Not that she could've been more obvious, anyways. After what felt like an eternity staring into his deep eyes, she found she couldn't say anything but the truth. Rose finally blurted out, "Well... yes." Followed quickly by, "The werewolf said something to me."

"What?"

Before she could answer, the TARDIS shook violently, sending Rose grappling for the railing as the tremors reverberated through the ship. The Doctor fell onto the console, his eyes wide with surprise. Then, it was deadly calm.

The Timelord exchanged a long, puzzled look with his companion, but offered no explanation. That worried Rose more than she could say.

The blonde slowly released her grip on the railing. Then, as if the aftershock of an earthquake, the ship trembled again, sending Rose to her knees. She struggled to find something to hold as the shudders rocked the TARDIS. The Doctor flung himself toward her as soon as the tremors got lighter. He wrapped a protective arm around her, and used the other to maintain a tight grip on the railing. Then, they waited for it the trembling stop.

After a few minutes, there was no more shaking, so they stood up tentatively. The Doctor wobbled unsteadily towards the console, his face twisted in uncertainty.

Bewildered, Rose eased herself up to him, gripping the edge of the console with white knuckles in case the ship began to rock again.

The Doctor examined the console carefully, trying to deduce what had happened. It didn't take him long.

"WHAT?" He exclaimed incredulously. Rose shot him a puzzled look, and he took in a sharp breath.

"We've left the time vortex." The Timelord muttered, running his hands through his hair. It was spiky and wild at the moment, which was not at all unusual, just enhanced by their recent adventure, one that had ended only around three hours ago. _His fantastic hair,_ Rose thought to herself. She caught herself before her thoughts could become potentially… _dangerous_. Or rather, unrealistic. Of course he didn't return her feelings. She was just a shop girl from London, and he was the Doctor. Such things like love and attractive were undoubtedly beneath him.

Suddenly, Rose felt something in her head, like something touching the edge of her consciousness. She recognized it immediately as the TARDIS, a mixture of emotion and colors. Cool blue and a pale reddish pink were prominent, as well as pangs of fear and dread. And... remorse? The Doctor's eyebrows shot up, revealing he had received the same message as her. The TARDIS was apologizing. Then, a flash of mauve and a few more things mixed in. Images. Faces. Grey clouds, rain, grass.

"She-"

"The TARDIS took us here?" Rose released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The Doctor's eyes widened even further.

"You got that message?" He gaped. "How!?"

She _shouldn't_ have been able to get those messages. The TARDIS was a telepath and Rose wasn't. A knot of anxiety formed in his stomach, and he swallowed miserably. Was something ...wrong with her?

Rose nodded, shrugging her shoulders. It wasn't unusual for her to receive brief messages or images from the TARDIS. She'd felt the connection right after… _oh no_. Right after the Gamestation. She'd felt somehow attached to the TARDIS, like it was somehow in her head all the time. It had become a comfort as of late, knowing she was never alone, even when the Doctor was off doing other things. The Doctor seemed slightly taken aback at her nonchalance.

"How how has this been going on?" He demanded, taking her by the shoulders. The Timelord bent over, his face hovering just inches from hers. He seemed to be studying her intently, as if he expected her eyes would start glowing yellow any second.

The blonde swallowed, and her throat seemed suddenly very dry. "Since the nightmares started." She admitted quietly, realizing it was probably a big mistake to have kept it from him.

Astonishment played on his features, "And it never occurred to you to tell me?" He growled darkly. Rose flinched at the harshness of his words, looking away with hurt sparkling in her eyes. Immediately, the Doctor gulped, eyes clouding with guilt.

"Sorry, Rose, it's just-"

"I know." She said shortly, shaking her head.

"It could be dangerous." He finished. "I'm so sorry. I'm going to have to run a few tests." The Timelord paused, remembering the telepathic warnings just minutes earlier, and added, "When we get back that is."

 _Right!_ Rose thought, nearly slapping herself. They still needed to investigate where the TARDIS just landed.

"Someone's in trouble." The Timelord reminded her, as was shown by the mauve they'd seen in the TARDIS's telepathic touch. Mauve was the universal color for distress. Glancing around the ship with trepidation and intense curiosity, he decided he didn't have time to dwell on Rose's telepathic situation anymore.

As if nothing had happened, their hands joined and they bolted towards the door.

There were still a few points of the ship's message that even the Doctor could decipher. Two unfamiliar faces. It agitated him that he felt like he should know who they are.

Rose gasped as she stepped outside the TARDIS. Within seconds, a heavy downpour of rain had drenched her. She let out a disgruntled squeal and looked at the Doctor with wide eyes as the cold rain seeped into her skin.

They were standing in a wide, grassy field that was soaked with rain. The grass was short though, as if it had been cut. Everywhere they stepped, their shoes sank into the flooded ground with an unpleasant squelch. It was like the scene from the images the TARDIS had shown them, not to her surprise. She should have heeded the ship's warning and brought a raincoat.

The Doctor beamed at Rose, squeezing her hand tighter. Rose ground her teeth together and shivered. The Timelord let out a brief chuckle at her reaction to the weather.

"What?" She demanded sourly, but he could tell her tone was tinged with humor.

"Nothing!" He said quickly, turning away with the broad smile still plastered across his face.

"We're on earth, aren't we?" Rose frowned as large raindrops splashed down in her head and streamed down her face. Water was rolling down the Doctor's face, too, but he didn't seem that bothered by it, even if this was his favorite suit. The brown pinstriped suit was now much darker, logged down with rain.

"Yep," the Doctor replied, popping the 'p.' "And it's… 2011? Of all the places in the universe, I always seem to end up back here on this particular planet." He smirked at Rose. _I'm glad_ , he thought as he reminisced about meeting Rose for the first time. Blowing up her work, then taking her to the end of the universe. The Doctor winced slightly. In retrospect, maybe the end of the universe wasn't such a great place for a first date. _Date_? He thought suddenly. It _wasn't_ a date. They weren't together, right? The Doctor tried to block out the thoughts that yearned for otherwise, but he wasn't able to push away the feelings. They were too strong. Much too strong. Way stronger than he should be feeling.

Every part of him told him that it was wrong to feel this way. She was a human, after all. He was an alien to her. An alien that lived thousands of years longer than she did. It could never work. He repeated to himself. He'd been telling himself this for months. But she'd saved him, in more ways than one. The Doctor had returned from the Time War a broken man, ready to give up on everything- blindly stumbling into danger and taking stupid risks, not caring if he got himself killed.

Then, he'd met a blonde in the basement of a London shop. Surrounded by shop window dummies, he'd taken her hand into his own, and he'd said one word.

 _"Run!"_

After that, Rose had shown him the wonder of the universe again. She'd shown him that even though he'd seen unimaginable horrors, and in some cases _caused_ them, he needed to keep going forward. To kee helping people.

Keep being _The Doctor._

Slowly, her frown transformed into a tongue-in-tooth grin, and she dropped his hand, breaking into a run across the field. Insantly, her foot slipped on the slick grass and she fell, laughing, into a heap on the ground. She was already soaked and muddy, rain cascading down her golden hair, and she just giggled as the Doctor raised an eyebrow. Before he could say anything, she dove for him, pulling him down into the grass with her.

And just like, all rational thoughts completely disappeared from his brain. Danger, urgency, the TARDIS's warnings... it had all faded away the moment her lips had curved into a smile.

The Timelord released an 'oomph!' as he hit the ground. With a vengeful cry, he got to his knees, and pinned Rose beneath him, tickling her. She squealed with laughter and struggled against his grip, becoming muddier by the second. The Doctor made a happy noise in the back of his throat, a sound that set her alight.

"Rose Tyler, you muddy pig!" He accused playfully, flinging a clump of mud at her with a wide grin on his face. His brown suit was plastered with sludge, and his hands were gritty too.

Seeing him smile was a sight that could light up her entire world. Rose gave him a playful nudge with her knee, and he slipped. Before he could do anything about it, he collapsed on top of Rose, knocking the breath out of her for a split second. His face was just inches from hers.

Rose's breath hitched. Was it just her dreaming or was he leaning closer to her? She wanted to close the gap between them right then, to snog him into his next life like some cliche scene from a movie or something.

The Doctor felt her warm breath against his face. It felt like the moment was lasting an eternity. Eyes dropping to her lips, he seemed to be gravitating towards her. A voice in the back of his head was telling him to _just do it._

Instead, he resisted. He was never one to go with the flow. Not on Gallifrey, and he certainly couldn't do this now. It just wasn't right.

But it felt right. Completely right.

A gunshot from behind them snapped them out of their moment. The Doctor cursed and sprang up within a half-second, and sprinted in the other direction. Rose wasn't far behind, but she nearly slipped on the grass again. How could they have forgotten the TARDIS's message, the _mauve_? The danger? _God, I'm thick._ Rose thought in disbelief, mentally slapping herself with all the force of a Tyler Slap, something her mum had used more than once on the Doctor. _Incredibly thick!_ Her brain repeated. God, what if someone was hurt now, because of her? She shouldn't have dragged him into that stupid game in the mud.

Turning around, her eyes widened. She hadn't even noticed it. There was a huge mansion behind them. It has been behind the TARDIS when they had come out, blocked by the ship, and in their brief game of rolling in the muddy grass, they'd overlooked it. Rose groaned inwardly. She was not at the top of her game today. To be fair though, she hadn't even had time for a quick kip. They'd come directly from old Scotland, having just been banished by Queen Elizabeth, and she was completely knackered. _Still not a valid excuse,_ Rose admitted to herself.

The mansion grounds seemed unkempt, but the grass had clearly been cut within the last two weeks. Despite obviously having a groundskeeper, the hedges were overgrown and the wilted flowers flowed out of the pots and had taken over the garden. The Doctor didn't bother knocking as he strode purposefully up the steps to the double doors. It was unlocked, and he pushed through the doors with incredible force, Rose just feet behind him. Where had the gunshot come from? The mansion was massive.

The entryway was grandiose and extravagant, with dual staircases and glittering white tile floors. The floors, however, were beginning to accumulate a thin layer of dust, and the corners were starting to gather cobwebs.

A huge thunk from upstairs caught their attention instantly. Rose strode up the stairs, but not as fast as the Timelord, who was tall enough to skip steps. More crashing sounds were heard from a room to their right, followed by the distinct blast of a shotgun.

The Doctor didn't waste a second. He sprang into action once again, his skinny form carried by long legs. He paused in the doorway, his mouth wide open as he saw the man inside twist around to the sound of his footsteps.

Rose knew what was about to happen, and didn't even rethink her decision. She pushed the Doctor aside, using her body as a shield as the man pulled the trigger.

A spray of bullets hit her square in the abdomen, and she let out a muffled scream of pain, as the Doctor caught her halfway down. He didn't bother masking his expression of horror as he cradled Rose in his arms.

If looks could kill, that man would be dead a thousand times over. The Doctor looked up, expression hardening, and he shot the man the deadliest glare that he had ever given anyone. It was his oncoming storm face, pure unadulterated fury and barely disguised intense grief.

"Oh my god," the man exclaimed in a distinct American accent, as soon as he realized what happened. He turned away for a second, "Sam, watch our backs." The shotgun clattered to the floor next to them as the American kneeled beside Rose. Piercing green eyes scanned the blonde's slumped body, as the tall, leather jacket clad man swallowed.

"Get away from her!" The Timelord growled darkly, and he felt such a strong urge for revenge at that moment that he didn't even feel restricted by his moral code. He smiled painfully as Rose looked up into his dark eyes.

"Rose, come on. Hold on for me okay?" he begged as he stroked her forehead gently, and pressed a soft kiss to her head, even though it was muddy and his lips now felt gritty. He couldn't care less right now. The Doctor pressed his hand against her wounds, trying to stop the blood flow, but the crimson liquid spilled out into his hand, coating it in blood. His other hand was in hers, squeezing it, trying to reassure her. It was hard to pretend everything was okay when you honestly had no idea what was going to happen.

The tall man leaned over. He looked like he was going to pick Rose up, and The Doctor pushed him away roughly and couldn't even look at him.

Another blast of a shotgun caused the Timelord to flinch, and he heard another voice call out, "What's happening, Dean? Who are they? Are those _people?_ "

"I don't know! I... I shot one of them! Stay alert so the Tulpa doesn't come back!" The man, whose name was apparently Dean yelled back over his shoulder.

"You weren't using rock salt?"

"No, of course not. It's a _Tulpa_!" He looked back over at the Doctor. "Holy shit, I'm sorry." _Tulpa?_ The Doctor thought numbly. _What do they mean by that?_

"Would you _shut up?"_ The Doctor snapped, as he slowly rose to his feet, the young woman dangling limply from his arms. _Rassilon, God... help me!_ He prayed to every known diety he could think of. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not after all that had happened with Bad Wolf!

"D-Doctor?" She asked weakly. She wasn't sure what was happening, but her abdomen hurt like hell in a multitude of different places. She groaned softly as he hefted her up, trying to keep himself steady, so she wouldn't slip from his grasp. He was sure she could feel him trembling, or feel the thunderous pounding of his hearts against his ribcage.

"Shh," the Doctor soothed softly, as he began to descend back down the stairs. "I'm gonna get you back to TARDIS, okay? You'll be okay." He wasn't actually sure if she would make it or not, and that terrified him. Forcing his expression to harden again, he rushed as quickly as possible, careful to avoid jarring Rose, back to their ship. If he was upset, it would lower the odds that Rose… _survived._ The Doctor was forced to push away another spike of hurt that reverberated through him. _My fault..._ his mind whispered, but he was unable to think clearly. Thoughts were jumbled, and his vision was blurred.

He could have told her how he felt. The opportunity had been there. Maybe things would have gone differently? Deep down, he knew that wasn't true. Rose had been willing to die for him before, and she was _still_ willing to. Whether or not she knew how he felt, the Doctor had a feeling she would do the same every time. _God, this was all his fault._

This felt like some sort of sick nightmare. Any second he'd wake up, Rose cuddled into his side and then he'd smile at her. He'd make some comment about superior biology and she scoff at him with that grin of hers. Then, they'd go visit some amazing planet with violet skies and shimmering emerald seas that sparkled like a thousand stars, a galaxy trapped in a rippling green surface. Rose Tyler and the Doctor, as it should be. Traveling the universe...

 _What if-_

 _ **Stop.**_

There was no point asking 'what ifs' because it wouldn't help Rose.

Dean was at the Doctor's side as he rushed her back to the TARDIS, matching his strides. Dean was taller, if only by an inch, but he had much broader shoulders and a sharper jawline. He wasn't nearly as skinny as the Doctor, and would probably be a fair bit stronger, had the Doctor been human. But... _superior Timelord biology._

"Let me take her, I have some medical supplies in my car." He insisted, holding out his arms, with a pained expression on his face. The guilt was obvious, but the Doctor just snapped at him with an 'oncoming storm' expression and shook his head viciously.

"Where are you going? She'll die!" Dean called as the Doctor turned his back on him. As soon as he finished his sentence, the Doctor whirled around.

"She's _not_ going to die." He spat, and briskly walked towards his ship, making sure he kept a good pace so he wouldn't hurt her further.

"That wasn't there before." Dean observed as the Doctor reached the TARDIS. "How did that get there?"

"Open it." Snapped the Doctor, unwilling to waste his breath explaining right now. His arms were a little sore from carrying Rose but he had to get her to the infirmary. Dean obeyed, albeit a bit reluctantly, and pushed open the TARDIS doors just as another gunshot went off.

"Dean!" An urgent voice called. An even taller man sprinted out of the building towards them. It was Sam.

Dean whirled around just as the doors of the TARDIS swung open. The Doctor slid in, and the TARDIS's telepathic link with the Doctor strengthened. The ship was worried, that was for sure.

They should never have come here. As soon as he saw that mauve he should have changed the coordinates and gotten the hell out of there. _Too late now._

 **Sorry not sorry.**

 **Story starts of very quickly, doesn't it? Hopefully they don't sound too OOC but I know I'm not the best at that.**

 **Sam and Dean were fighting a Tulpa in this chapter, hence the reason they weren't using rock salt. For those of you who haven't seen supernatural, it's not going to be necessary to have seen the show. They are an important part of the show with more than a few cameos, but I'll do my best explaining it.**

 **It would make me very happy to have some nice reviews, because when I'm happy I'm _productive_ ;) **


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